The Strength of Burton Blake's Character

​Burton Blake is a likeable young man. As a generous and altruistic person, he becomes a Rhodes Scholar. In keeping with his desire and personal standards to help others and to learn about different cultures, he is committed to working with impoverished people in other countries. He does not consider himself privileged. His unselfish intent is to help people with whom he works to improve the conditions of their lives.
 
My research for the book placed Burton in South Africa where he works as a Red Cross volunteer. He is reluctant to leave and resentful at being called home to replace his deceased father at the head of a company in which he initially has no interest and does not share his sense of ethics and morality learned from his mother and stepfather, as well as other childhood influences. These differences are the core conflict of his story.